The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicle apparatuses and more particularly to an automotive vehicle bootwell and drain trough apparatus.
It is generally known in the automotive industry to retract a convertible roof into a bootwell of a vehicle body. The bootwell is typically made from stamped sheet metal and is sometimes covered with a flexible cloth or vinyl liner. The traditional flexible liner is prone to snagging and tearing by the adjacent sharp sheet metal body. Furthermore, water leaks can develop at stitched seams of the liner.
A stamped sheet metal drain trough is commonly welded to an upper rear portion of the bootwell. The conventional drain trough acts to receive water rearwardly running off of the convertible roof. Separate, flexible drain hoses are often connected to the outboard ends of the drain trough for expelling the water. Examples of such constructions can be found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,114 entitled "Adjustable Attachment Means for a Motor Vehicle Fabric Top" which issued to Hennessy on Nov. 27, 1956; U.S. Pat. No. 3,096,117 entitled "Vehicle Body" which issued to Hallenbeck on Jul. 2, 1963; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,373 entitled "Drain Tube Assembly" which issued to Fordyce on Aug. 4, 1964. However, there is typically no adequate provision to handle any water overflowing from the metal drain trough into the bootwell. This can lead to water absorption of soft top roof fabric, bootwell liners, acoustic insulation or even the passenger compartment carpet. Also, traditional liners hold inadvertently overflowing water which can lead to unpleasant odors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,712, entitled "Convertible Vehicle Topwell Assembly" which issued to Rausch et al. on Apr. 23, 1996, discloses a three piece plastic bootwell. However, this conventional device requires a complicated drain tube and grommet assembly which may lead to leaks, extra assembly expense and inadvertent pinching of the drain tubes during installation. Also, the drain channel arrangement necessitates a raised and convoluted floor, thereby encroaching on valuable roof storage space. It is also noteworthy that this patent, and the equivalent production part, do not disclose an integrated plastic drain trough; in production, the vehicle using this device has a separate metal drain trough welded to the vehicle body. In practice, the three piece liner appears to have been vacuum formed.
In accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the automotive vehicle apparatus includes a single piece bootwell and drain trough. In another aspect of the present invention, a bootwell, drain trough and drainage area are formed from plastic and have a generally rigid and freestanding construction. A further aspect of the present invention provides a rearmost portion of a roof located in a drain trough, wherein water can overflow into a bootwell for suitable drainage. Yet another aspect of the present invention allows stowage of a convertible roof into the bootwell.
The automotive vehicle bootwell and drain trough apparatus of the present invention are advantageous over traditional devices in that the present invention requires very little assembly and installation effort. Furthermore, the present invention also achieves seamless water flow paths between the drain trough, bootwell liner and the connected drainage areas. Another advantage of the present invention is that convertible roof storage space is maximized within the bootwell while still allowing access to bolts extending through underlying shock towers. The aesthetic appearance and convertible top-friendly surface of the present invention are also desirable. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.